1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shilajit compositions, and particularly to purified shilajit compositions obtained from native shilajit, which compositions have an abundance of defined bio-active constituents and are devoid of toxic components, and to personal care, pharmaceutical and nutritional use formulations thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rejuvenating changes in one""s body can be initiated and effected by nutrition, herbs and herbo-minerals. Aging and its associated problems are a degenerative disease, which, however, is preventable and treatable. The aging process involves the action of highly reactive free radicals, produced systemically, which interact with other cellular compounds and produce oxidative damages and eventually kills cells and tissues and impairs the immune function of the organism. Such free radical damage accumulates and increases with age, creating degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer""s, cardiovascular, arthritis, cancer and over a hundred other diseases.
DNA, the cellular building block of the body, is very sensitive to oxidative stress. Although repairs to damaged DNA are constantly being made, the cell""s mechanism cannot keep up with the number of mutations that occur in the organism, particularly in the aged. Mitochondria, the part of the cell that is responsible for producing cellular energy, has its own DNA, but it does not have a repair mechanism to give it protection against free radical induced damage. The mutation of mitochondrial DNA therefore produces a greater adverse effect than DNA mutation elsewhere in the system. Researchers in recent years have shown that certain individual natural supplements, such as omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids and metabolites thereof, oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones, and their O-acylesters, as well as hydroxyacetophenones and xcex1-lipoic acids, can protect against oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA.
Accordingly, it is desired in this invention to provide a purified composition of bioactive agents to protect the body against free radical damage.
Native shilajit is a blackish-brown exudation, of variable consistencies, obtained from steep rocks of different formations found in the Himalayas at altitudes between 1000-5000 m, from Arunachal Pradesh in the East, to Kashmir in the West. Shilajit also is found in other mountain ranges of the world, e.g. Afganisthan (Hindukush, Badakh-Shan), Australia (Northern Pollock Ranges), and in the former USSR (Tien-Shan, Pamir, Caucasus, Ural). Native shilajit is believed to arrest aging and also produce rejuvenation, two important attributes of an Ayurvedic rasayan medicine. Considerable controversy, however, has existed in the literature concerning the nature and chemical character of shilajit. It has been variously described as a bitumen (asphalt), a mineral resin, a plant fossil, a substance of mixed plant and animal origin, or an inorganic substance.
Generally, native shilajit contains two classes of organic compounds, namely, (a) humic substances and (b) non-humic organic metabolites. Humic substances are the major organic constituents of native shilajit, present in an amount of about 80-85% therein, and have molecular weights ranging from several thousands for humic acids (HAs), and up to several million for polymeric humins (HMs), to only a few hundred for its fulvic acid (FAs) component. These substances also are found in soils and sediments distributed over the earth""s surface, occurring in almost all terrestrial and aquatic environments. Humic substances are produced by the interactions of plants, algae, and mosses (bryophtes), with microorganisms, by a process known as humification. Humification of latex- and resin-bearing plants is primarily responsible for the production of the water-soluble humic substances.
The non-humic substances of shilajit are low molecular weight (Mw) compounds of plant and microbial origin, occurring in and around shilajit bearing rocks. The remaining non-humic organic masses in shilajit comprise a mixture of low Mw aromatic, aliphatic alicyclic, and heterocyclic (N-and S-containing) compounds. Of particular biological interest are low Mw oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones (DBP) and hydroxyacetophenones (HAPs).
The biological effects of shilajit are believed to be due to the two distinct classes of bioactive compounds: (i) DBPs, both mono- and bis-compounds thereof, in free and metal-ion conjugated forms; and (ii) fulvic acids (FAs) from shilajit-humic substances, which function as a carrier for the bioactive DBPs. However, native shilajit rhizospheres from different origins suffer from the presence of only small amounts of (i) and (ii) therein. Large amounts of contaminants, e.g. high Mw polymeric quinones, humins (HMs), and inorganic substances are present. Furthermore, shilajit rhizospheres are always heavily infested at its periphery with a large array of microorganisms, some of which are producers of mycotoxins. Thus, the potential risk of ingesting shilajit in its native form, or only after rudimentary purification, with no control or defined standards, is quite apparent.
The prior art in this field is described in the xe2x80x9cInformation Disclosure Statementxe2x80x9d, attached hereto. Other cumulative prior art is exemplified by the following references:
(1) S. Ghosal et al, Phytotherapy Res., 1991, 5, 211.
(2) S. Bhaumik, S. Chartopadhyay and S. Ghosal, Phytotherapy Res., 1993, 7, 425.
(3) Y. C. Kong et al, Int. J. Crude Drug Res., 1987, 25, 179.
(4) S. Ghosal, S. K. Singh and R. S. Srivastava, J. Chem. Res., 1988, 196.
(5) M. V. S. Sultanbawa, Tetrahedron, 1980, 36, 1465.
(6) S. B. Scharya et al, Indian J. Exp. Biol., 1988, 26, 775.
(7) S. Ghosal et al, Phytotherapy Res., 1989, 6, 249.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a purified shilajit composition which is standardized with respect to its bioactive chemical components, and which is devoid of toxic materials therein.
A particular object of this invention is to provide purified shilajit compositions having an abundance of bioactive components, particularly oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones (DBPs), and carrier molecules, which are low-to-medium molecular weight fulvic acids (FAs) present in abundant amounts in the composition.
Another object herein is to provide personal care, pharmaceutical and nutritional use formulations containing a predetermined amount of said purified shilajit composition.
These and other objects and features of the invention will be made apparent from the following description thereof.
What is provided in this invention is a purified shilajit composition, without toxic components, obtained by extraction of native shilajit whose biologically active components are present in weight amounts of:
(a) at least 0.3%, preferably 0.4-1%, of an oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrone (DBP), its di- and/or tetramers, and their esters; and
(b) at least 60%, preferably 65-70%, of low-to-medium molecular weight Mw({overscore (M)}n) fulvic acids (FAs), ({overscore (M)}n is a number average molecular weight), having an E4/E6 absorption ratio of 8 to 10 at  465/665 nm.
The composition of the invention, as a 2% aqueous solution, has a pH of  greater than 7, preferably 7-8.
Preferably (a) is a methanol soluble 3-OH or 3, 8 (OH)2 DBP derivative, or their C16-C22 acyl esters; and (b) is a water soluble FAs.
Preferably the purified shilajit composition also includes, 0.01% to 0.4% of xcfx89-polyunsaturated fatty acids; 0.1-0.4 of a mono- or di-hydroxy-acetophenone, or C16-C22 acyl esters thereof; and 0.05 to 0.3% of xcex1-lipoic acid.
Preferably, the fulvic acid component in (b) has an E4/E6 ratio of about 9-10.
Preferably, the purified shilajit composition also contains about 3-12% of benzoic acid, m-OH benzoic acid or C16-C22 alkanol esters thereof; and about 0.5-1% of xe2x80x94N and xe2x80x94S heterocyclic and other aromatic compounds.
The composition herein is further characterized by the substantial absence of humic acid and polymeric humins.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a purified shilajit composition, without toxic components, obtained by extraction of native shilajit whose biologically active components are present in weight amounts of:
(a) at least 0.3%, preferably 0.4-1%, of an oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrone (DBP), its di- and/or tetramers, and their esters; and
(b) at least 60%, preferably 65-70%, of low-to-medium molecular weight Mw(Mn) fulvic acids (FAs), ({overscore (M)}n is a number average molecular weight), having an E4/E6 absorption ratio of 8 to 10 at  465/665 nm.
The purified shilajit of the invention includes (a) mono- or di-hydroxy or tetrameric dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones (DBP) having the formulas shown below: 
and (b) fulvic acids (FAs) which have repeat units having the formula: 
The methanol soluble portion of the purified shilajit composition also includes 0.1-0.5% 3-OH dibenzo-xcex1-pyrone; 0.3-1.5% 3,8-diOH dibenzo-xcex1-pyrone; 0.001-0.1% eicosapentaenoic acid; 0.005-0.01% docosapentaenoic acid; 0.01-0.3% docosahexaenoic acid; 0.1-0.2% 2-hydroxyacetophenone; 0.01-0.2% 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone and 0.05-0.3% xcex1-lipoic acid.
The composition of the invention finds particular application in personal care, pharmaceutical and nutritional use formulations, suitably at a use level of 0.1 to 60% by weight of the composition, preferably about 0.2 to 10% in personal care formulations.
The purified shilajit compositions of the invention are obtained by an extraction procedure from native shilajit rock exdudate, as follows:
(a) powdering native shilajit exdudate and dissolving it in water as solvent,
(b) filtering the mixture to remove insoluble substances,
(c) evaporating water from the filtrate to obtain a brown viscous residue,
(d) extracting the residue with a hot organic solvent, e.g. methanol, to obtain both a soluble fraction which includes low Mw bioactive phenolic compounds particularly oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones, and insoluble shilajit humic substances,
(e) adding dilute aqueous NaOH to the insoluble shilajit humic portion to precipitate polymeric quinones,
(f) acidifying the filtrate below a pH of about 3 to precipitate humic acids leaving a brown acidic solution of fulvic acids,
(g) fractionating said acidic solution by passing it over activated carbon to provide a solution of low-to-medium Mw fulvic acids,
(h) passing the fulvic acid solution through a H+ ion-exchange resin to concentrate the fulvic acids in solution,
(i) evaporating the solution, and
(j) combining the low-to-medium Mw fulvic acids Mw 700-2000, with the low Mw bioactive phenolic compounds in a suitable proportion, e.g. 9:1 by weight.
Standardization of purified shilajit compositions is controlled analytically so that the composition contains (a) at least 0.3%, preferably 0.4-1%, of oxygenated dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones including mono- and dimers of 3,8-dihydroxy-dibenzo-xcex1-pyrones (in free and metal ion conjugated forms) (by HPLC analysis, chemical analysis); (b) low-to-medium Mw fulvic acids (Mw 700-2000) in an amount of at least 60%, preferably 65-70% (HPTLC E4/E6 analysis at different pH levels; range 8-10, preferably 9-10; and electron spin resonance spectroscopy); and with metal ions (Fe (II/III), Cu(II) and Zn (II) and Mg(II) ions in conjugated forms of (3-5%).
The 2% aqueous solution of the composition of the invention has a pH xe2x89xa77. A low pH indicates the presence of substantial amounts of humic acid, humins and polymeric humus, which, accordingly, are essentially absent herein.
The thus-obtained purified shilajit composition according to the invention has the relative abundance of bioactive constituents given in Table 1 below.
Preferably, the purified shilajit composition of the invention contains 0.01 to 0.4% of xcfx89-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids, 0.1 to 0.4% of hydroxyacetophenone, and 0.05 to 0.3% of xcex1-lipoic acid. 
A typical purified shilajit composition of the invention is further characterized by the parameters given in Table 3 below.
A. Personal Care